


Let's Play Ball

by Sweedledome



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-05
Updated: 2015-03-05
Packaged: 2018-03-16 11:25:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3486449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sweedledome/pseuds/Sweedledome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexa is confused by what the Sky People are doing. They keep running around and flailing their arms over some round object. Perhaps it is a ritual of their people? She decides to ask Clarke about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Play Ball

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this before the events of last night's episode so i'm just going to post this and pretend it never happened until they fix things.

Lexa has been puzzling over the bizarre behaviour of the Sky People this morning. During the excavation of supplies of Mount Weather, Miller had appeared overjoyed at the production of an orange circular object from one of the stores. The rest of the Sky People had seemed equally as enthused and wasted no time about constructing two metal rings and erecting them at each end of a clear rectangular area of concrete at the base of Mount Weather. They layered the ground of this area with strange chalk markings and took to running from one end of the rectangle to the other according to the position of the round object they called a ball.

 

The only conclusion Lexa could draw was that it was perhaps some sort of ritual…but she cannot for the life of her figure out what purpose it possesses or how it is structured. She really has better things to be doing with her time but the meaning of this odd dance continues to elude her and it is highly frustrating. It’s definitely something to do with those rings and this “ball”…

 

When she sees the enquiring looks of her own people darting in the direction of the Sky People, that’s when Lexa decides to act. It is slowing down the productivity of sorting through all the contents of Mount Weather and only an answer as to what they are doing will be enough to stop the distraction now infecting her soldiers.

 

(It’s definitely nothing to do with assuaging her own curiosity. This is for the benefit of her people. Of course.)

 

Lexa makes her way to where Clarke is stood by the side of the rectangle, taking care not to walk across it in case she offends their practices. Clarke herself had been participating earlier but was now stood watching over her people, presumably to make sure they performed the ritual correctly. Lexa approves. A fine bit of leadership indeed.

 

“Clarke.” Lexa greets, waiting for a reaction from the blonde. They have not had any time to themselves to discuss the events before the battle but Clarke smiles at Lexa so she can assume her presence is welcome.

 

“Lexa.”

 

“What is the meaning of this display?”

 

“It’s basketball. A sport we play.”

 

“A…sport?” Lexa says with uncharacteristic hesitation. She’s unaware of this concept but playing is something children do before they grow old enough to begin learning the Grounder way. It does not seem fitting for leaders like Bellamy and Marcus to be participating in such an activity but there they are, flailing along with the rest of their people.

 

“Yeah. Do Grounders not have any sports?” Clarke asks.

 

“Sports?”

 

“Um…fun physical activity? Like a competition?” Ahhh, it is a competition. Not a ritual then but a demonstration of physical strength and prowess.  It is beginning to make sense.

 

“In times of peace our warriors fight as a test of skill. Sometimes with swords, sometimes with their bodies and sometimes they hunt to determine tracking ability. Is it similar?”

 

“Yeah, something like that.” Clarke nods.

 

“How does this help you in battle?” Lexa stares at the way they move about the rectangle, unable to discern what the movements mean.

 

“Well…it’s good for hand eye coordination and it keeps you fit but really is just about playing and enjoying the game.”

 

“So it serves no purpose?”

 

“I wouldn’t say that. It’s fun.”

 

“Fun is not a purpose.” Lexa dismisses.

 

“It can be.” Clarke argues. “Many of them lost friends in the battle but look at them now Lexa, they’re happy. It gives them something to focus on that’s completely separate from battle, it gives us joy and I don’t care what you say, I think that’s a great purpose.”  Examining the Sky People, Lexa must admit that Clarke has a point. She cannot recall seeing the members of Clarke’s tribe so happy in the days since the battle as they are now. A good leader understands the importance of improving the morale of their troops and that’s exactly what Clarke is doing by encouraging this.

 

“Perhaps you have a point. Tell me, can you win?” Lexa asks, her mind going to her own warriors who could do with something to focus their attentions on that won’t remind them of dear ones no longer present. A victory not associated with loss would be something to celebrate indeed.

 

“At basketball?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Yeah.” At Lexa’s enquiring look, Clarke begins to explain. “You have two teams and the objective is for your team to get the ball through your hoop as many times as you can within a set time limit. You have to stop the other team from getting the ball in their hoop and you get a different number of points for where you shoot the ball from.”

 

“There are guns in this game?”

 

“What? No. When you aim to throw the ball into the hoop, that’s called shooting.”

 

“Your ways are confusing.” Lexa frowns.

 

“It’s actually really simple once you get the hang of it.” Clarke assures her.

 

Lexa hasn’t missed the subtle creeping of nearby Grounders approaching, listening in on their conversation. Under any other circumstances she would be livid at their audacity but this is hardly a private matter and, if the plan beginning to take form in Lexa’s mind stands any chance of succeeding, they will need to understand this game.

 

“I wish to play.” She says with confidence, with every intention of mastering this… _sport_ before the day is done.

 

“You do?”

 

“Yes, it will be interesting to experience your culture.”

 

“Alright.” Clarke smiles at her and Lexa thinks about using this as a way to impress Clarke. She has shown physical prowess in all Grounder tests of skill after all and she has a cunning mind, how hard can it be?

 

Clarke explains that they’ll start out playing a friendly match with no points just until the Grounders get used the rules. Lexa wants to protest that they can do it but Clarke insists seeing as there quite a few more rules and terms that they need to understand. They set up with several Grounders on one side and Sky People on another but then Clarke announces they need to assign a referee.

 

“What is a referee?”

 

“Someone who knows all the rules and enforces them. While you’re on the court, that’s what we play on,” Clarke explains quickly, seeing the confusion on Lexa’s face, “the referee’s word is law. They follow the ball around the court and decide when a rule has been broken. You can’t argue with them or try to convince them to change their mind _or_ try to take revenge on them once the game is over.” Clarke says pointedly at the Grounders who frown at this suggestion. “That’s why it’s important the referee is impartial.”

 

“But who will perform this task? What if your referee favours your team? My Grounders cannot do it, we do not know all the rules.”

 

“What about Octavia? She’s loyal to both sides, she’ll be fair.” Lexa considers this.

 

“Octavia is…acceptable.” And so Octavia is called over and given one of the high pitched frequency transmitters used to repel reapers to draw their attention until a whistle of some sort can be fashioned. (Lincoln noticeably stomps off somewhere else looking put out). They position themselves ready to begin and Lexa is surprised by the level of anticipation she feels. The Sky People win the ball and begin the game, passing the ball in bizarre ways to each other. It comes closer and closer to where Lexa is placed until Jasper sends it towards Monty.

 

Monty catches the ball quickly and Lexa spots her opportunity when he does not immediately protect the ball. She seizes him by the face and use a well-timed kick to send him sprawling. Elation grips her as she takes the ball now bouncing away from Monty’s arms. Clutching it firmly to her chest to prevent anyone stealing it, Lexa runs up the court, aims the ball once she is close enough and…and misses. Lexa frowns at the ball now bouncing away. This will be more difficult than originally anticipated.

 

A sharp sound comes from Octavia who announces that Lexa has committed a foul. Clarke is laughing further up the court at Lexa’s stare of confusion.

 

“What did I do wrong?”

 

* * *

This is impossible. It seems that every time Lexa thinks she has understood this game and adjusts her tactics accordingly, Clarke or Octavia announce another rule she’s just violated.

 

No Lexa, just because it’s technically non-contact it doesn’t mean you’re allowed to throw rocks at the opposing team.

 

No Lexa, you can’t sit on a team mate’s shoulders and keep passing the ball through the hoop.

 

No Lexa, you aren’t supposed to rig traps on the court to take people down.

 

This game seems designed to strip away a warrior’s instincts to use everything at their disposal but Clarke argues that the rules keep the game true to the purpose of basketball. Lexa almost turns away in frustration several times but anytime she thinks on giving up on this infernal game, Clarke say something like ‘well, if you’re not up to the challenge’ or ‘don’t worry, not everyone can do it’ and if the smirk on Clarke’s face is any indicator, Lexa knows Clarke is saying it to provoke a reaction. She still gets one though because Commander Lexa, heda of the Grounders will _not_ concede defeat to a _game._

 

There is still the matter of Mount Weather to be attended to though so they must leave it for today when there is work to be done. They continue in this fashion for a week (Lincoln noticeably shoving a hand carved whistle into Octavia’s hand and grumpily throwing the transmitter back in Raven’s direction on the second day), alternating playing basketball and figuring out what to do with everything in Mount Weather. It acts as a good motivator though, her people are excited for their game breaks and it eases the tension in the air surrounding the debate over what to do with the people of Mount Weather as the Grounders become more familiar with it.

 

After a while the rules begin to sink in and the Grounders get called up less and less for infractions. However, they also score considerably less. Once they’ve reached the point where they can play without stopping every two minutes for another rule explanation, they focus their attentions to demonstrations from the Sky People who explain better game play, strategy and tactics.

 

Lexa’s favourite part is the shooting instruction. The exertion of the game has causes Clarke to shed her  bulkier outer layers until she is in much more revealing attire, sweat gleaming off her skin in the sunlight. It’s all Lexa can do to keep hers eyes focused on the ball where they should be and briefly she wonders if this is some careful ploy on Clarke’s part. She has to know how she is affecting Lexa.

 

Particularly when Clarke teaches her how to aim the ball better. She comes up behind Lexa until the full length of her is pressing against Lexa’s back and her hands guide Lexa’s own over the ball, whispering instructions in Lexa’s ear like she isn’t going to be the ruin of all of Lexa’s defences. Through no small amount of effort she remains stoic against these temptations, reciting Clarke’s request for time in her head. She will not push. Of that she is certain.

 

The next day Clarke announces that they are playing well enough that they can have a real match without either the Sky People destroying them or her Grounders misinterpreting the rules and having to undergo a lengthy explanation about why bringing a spear onto the court is inappropriate.

 

Grounders and Sky People alike gather to watch this spectacle which puts pressure on Lexa. They have to do well in this. Unfortunately, she is still intimately acquainted with the sound of Octavia's whistle. In the beginning she had been forced to resist the urge to remove all the brunette’s internal organs with a blunt instrument because every bit of progress they made seemed to be accompanied by a shrill blast and Octavia explaining why that was wrong. Lexa had even felt that Octavia was being unjust initially but then she had seen Miller perform what Lexa _knew_ to be an illegal move (having been caught doing it on three separate occasions herself) and she didn’t even have time to point it out before Octavia was already blasting away on her whistle. (She is far too fond of that object.)

 

So yes, her Grounders now know how to play properly. However, not being able to punch the Sky People in the face is still hindering their ability to score baskets. The match does not begin well. The Sky People have many years of practice over them and it shows because the rules confine the Grounders in a way with which they are unfamiliar. Then, when the Sky People are winning by ten points, Lexa gains the ball. She lists the rules in her head as she dribbles down the court (which it turns out is not nearly as disgusting as Lexa had first assumed when Clarke mentioned it), leaps up and sinks the ball through the hoop with a decisive throw.

She turns to Octavia, expecting to hear yet another rule she has somehow violated that discounts the basket (at least Lexa knows the correct words now) but Octavia just smiles and yells out the new score. She did it, Lexa had successfully and legally scored points for her team. The looks of surprise on Bellamy’s face as she slipped past him and the raucous cheer of her own people were amazing. The elated feeling is not dissimilar to the first time she took down a boar all on her own on her very first solo hunting trip. Lexa eyes the basket hungrily, already eager for more. Clarke is right. This game is _fun._

* * *

Clarke falls to the ground, gasping as Jasper goes on to replace her. The Grounders are _relentless._ Lexa’s first basket has inspired them and now they’re fighting to win with all they’ve got. Clarke smiles as Lexa roars instructions to her team up and down the court. Whilst Lexa remained as impassive as ever to everyone else after her first score, Clarke spotted the tiny upward lip twitch and knew she had the Commander hooked. Lexa took to the game after that with fire and Clarke can’t help but feel just the tiniest bit proud watching Lexa throw herself into it.

 

“Your girl isn’t doing too badly now is she?” Raven comments as she sits down next to where Clarke is just about getting her breathing back to a steady rate.

 

“She’s not my girl Raven.” Clarke responds and Raven just stares at her with a look that screams ‘bitch please’.

 

“Don’t think I didn’t see the way you were cosying up to her during shooting practice princess. I know someone trying to put on the moves when I see it.”

 

“Didn’t work though did it? I made her wait too long and now she’s lost interest.” Clarke sighs, having divulged all the details of the kiss and her feelings to the mechanic. Raven has been encouraging her to act on those feelings but Clarke’s not even sure how Lexa feels anymore.

 

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Anyone else going within a ten foot radius of her the death glare off the Commander but you get a free pass. That has to mean something.” Raven insists.

 

“What if it doesn’t though?”

 

“And what if it does? Just think about it for a minute Clarke, really think about what it would be like if you were together.” So Clarke does…then gets a retching noise from Raven. “Ugh, you just smiled. You’re so love sick it’s actually nauseating. Do something about it princess. It makes no sense to dance around, either the feelings are there or they aren’t. Either way, isn’t it better to know?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“It was better knowing about you and Finn.” Raven says quietly. Clarke doesn’t know how to respond to that hearing the tinges of hurt in a usually tough voice. “I mean, it sucked like a bitch and it wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear when I asked but…it meant I could move on. Not knowing for sure was torture. Sometimes things don’t always work out how we want them to princess, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try them out anyway. Finn and I had moments I’ll never forget and even though I’m now terrified Wick could hurt me in the same way, I know it’s still worth doing this. It’s still worth seeing if it could be more.”

 

Clarke contemplates this. It’s not often she hears Raven voluntarily expressing vulnerability and she’s not sure how to handle the moment. She wishes she were better at this sort of thing. Fortunately Raven moves the conversation on to the variation of tactics between the teams and they fall into an easier mood but Raven’s words don’t leave her.

 

* * *

Lexa paces her tent and waits for Clarke to arrive. She’d sent for the other leader not that long ago but she is impatient to hear what Clarke thinks of her proposal. She hadn’t missed the delight of her people following the basketball match two days ago. They had lost but it was not a shameful loss. The scores were close until the very end and Lexa had been surprised to find that she was not sad at the other team’s victory. The way the Grounders had worked together had been more than enough to equate for the lack of a win and, besides, there was always the next match to look forward to.

 

A rustling draws her attention as Clarke enters.

 

“You wanted to see me?”

 

“Yes. I want your opinion on something.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“We should use basketball to build relations between our people. The bond formed within a team is quite strong and I believe if we create teams of both Sky People and Grounders, they will unify with each other.” Lexa waits to see Clarke’s reaction on her face because her face says everything about what Clarke is feeling.

 

“That’s brilliant Lexa.” Clarke smiles with a nod of the head. Lexa breathes a sigh of relief. (Internally of course).

 

“You believe it will work?”

 

“Yeah, if we get enough teams we can do playoffs.”

 

“Playoffs?”

 

“A big competition where all the teams are tested against each other.”

 

“That sounds…appealing. I believe my people would like that.” Lexa nods as she see the pieces fall into place.

 

“We could do it for loads of different sports.” Clarke says with a gasp of realisation.

 

“There are others?”

 

“Loads of them. We were only even allowed to play basketball or soccer on The Ark because anything else needed too much space or was too dangerous. They banned sports completely in the end because it used up too much oxygen so we had to settle for watching old football matches. Actually, thinking about how much trouble the Grounders had with the no contact rule, I think they’d really enjoy football or rugby. We never got to play them, but we know the rules so we could figure it out.” Clarke blurts out a stream of information with excitement and Lexa is sure all these things Clarke is referencing mean something but she guesses this will probably result in another set of rules to learn. If they are all as fun as basketball, Lexa does not much mind this. She is also happy that Clarke seems to approve of her reasoning, more than that, Clarke seems to love it and her blue eyes shine with new ideas. It’s certainly a picture worth remembering. “Lexa?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“You’re looking at me.”

 

“We are conversing. It would be rude not to.” Lexa doesn’t understand Clarke sometimes.

 

“No, I mean…you’re looking at me like…”

 

“Like what?”

 

And then Clarke is kissing her. Lexa barely has time to enjoy it before Clarke pulls away again.

 

“Sorry.”

 

“Why are you sorry?”

 

“We haven’t really spoken about this since before Mount Weather. I thought maybe…”

 

“You thought my feelings had changed.” Lexa says in realisation. Clarke nods and it saddens Lexa to think Clarke could ever doubt her. “They have not.” She states firmly. “You said you were not ready so I didn’t mention it because I want you to be sure of your feelings towards me, not because I pressured you.”

 

“I am. Sure, of you, I mean.” And Lexa needs no more encouragement. She has been waiting for this for a long time now and when Clarke’s lips meet her own once more, there is nothing of the lingering uncertainty that had occurred last time. Only the incredible feeling of Clarke against her, seeking to deepen the kiss instead of ending it. Lexa does pull back though. She pulls back to whisper words against Clarke’s lips that Clarke needs to hear.

 

“Know that my feelings for you cannot change except to grow stronger Clarke Griffin. I am more glad than words can express that you are ready for what lies between us.”

 

“I tried to drop hints Lexa, clearly they didn’t work but, I’ve been ready for a while now.” Clarke whispers back.

 

“Then we have much missed time to reclaim.”

 

“I like the sound of that.” Clarke smiles deviously at Lexa and backs her into her desk again, except this time Lexa won’t tell her to get out. Quite the opposite in fact.

**Author's Note:**

> My knowledge of basketball isn't really all that great and I hope that didn't stick out but the only sports I know in depth are rugby and kayak racing, neither of which really seemed feasible for them to play on the Ark.


End file.
